Same-sex marriage in Estonia

Same-Sex Marriage in Estonia

Estonia is a country in Europe that made an important change in 2024. On January 1, 2024, same-sex marriage became legal. This means two people who love each other, whether they are both men or both women, can get married like other couples.

The government, led by Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, promised to change the marriage rules. Leaders in Estonia's parliament, called the Riigikogu, voted to support the new law. President Alar Karis signed it, making it official.

Estonia was the first country in the Baltic region to allow same-sex marriage. It was also the twentieth country in Europe to do this. Before this change, same-sex couples could have something called registered partnerships. This gave them some rights, but not all. Now, couples can marry and share all the joys and responsibilities that come with marriage.

People in Estonia have slowly grown to support same-sex marriage. In 2009, only about one-third of people thought same-sex couples should have the same rights. By 2023, around half of all Estonians agreed that same-sex marriage should be allowed. Younger people and those who spoke Estonian were more likely to support it.